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Water Bars and Infiltration Steps at Camp Robin Hood

The hardworking Camp Robin Hood campers. SOAK NH partnered with the Green Mountain Conservation Group to install water bars and infiltration steps on eroded slopes at the camp.

At Camp Robin Hood on Leavitt Bay, Lake Ossipee, stormwater runoff from an extensive uphill area behind the Boys’ Lodging Building (seen in the background) had formed a large gully as water tears down the hill toward the lodge. Runoff then wraps around the building and gouges out a channel that runs to the swimming area below.

Looking up the same hill from below, a large hole can be seen within the erosion gully.

The bottom corner of the boys’ lodge (looking toward the beach in the background). Stormwater runoff had gashed out material making the bottom step unstable and had created an eroded channel toward the swimming area.

Looking back uphill toward the lodge, the extent of the eroded area can be seen.

Practice #1. Repair and install additional Water Bars on the slope behind the boys’ lodge. At the top of the slope, an existing water bar that no longer functioned was removed and reused.

After excavating a hole for the next water bar downhill, an 8” by 8” timber is put in place. The bar is placed so that it’s raised up several inches to help catch runoff as it flows downhill.

Hardworking campers transport ¾” drainage stone down to the work area.

A stone reservoir is created behind each water bar to catch stormwater as it runs downhill.

Campers secure the timbers in place with several 18” lengths of steel rebar.

A stone apron is created to disperse water during storms as it runs behind the timber and into the vegetation.

The process is repeated several times to construct a series of Water Bars along the hill behind the lodge.

Campers finishing the water bars and tamping down the material that had been added to fill in the erosion gullies that had formed over the years.

Completed water bars from the top of the hill.

Practice #2. Rehab existing steps and add new steps next to the boys' lodge to create Infiltration Steps. Stormwater runoff from the hill behind the lodge rushes around it and down these steps. Prior to the rehab, the steps were being hollowed out and undercut the intensity of the flow.

To get started, sand was removed from within the existing steps to create a reservoir behind each step.

Although it was a small area, many campers wanted to join in the fun! Sand is hauled away and used to fill in the eroded area below. The relocated sand was secured from washing away by compacting it with a tamper.

Campers secure the new timbers with 18" steel rebar spikes to create new infiltration steps.

Steps backfilled with ¾” drainage stone. As the runoff comes around the building, it will be caught in the reservoirs formed by the stone. This will slow the water down and allow it to infiltrate rather than run quickly downhill causing erosion.

Campers work hard to finish the lowest step.

Completed Infiltration Steps from below.

Completed Infiltration Steps from the top. Step-by-Step instructions for Water Bars and Infiltration Steps can be found at soaknh.org under Resources.